Oklahoma chancellor visits NEO campus

By Shelly Baugh-SchultzThe News-Record

Wednesday

May 30, 2007 at 12:01 AM

Chancellor Glen Johnson made his a stop at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College on Tuesday to update the Rotary Club on the state-level objectives and announce the arrival of funding for a program that will assist college-bound students in low-income families.

“It's good to be here today to share what we have accomplished,” Johnson said. “It was a good session.”

Johnson said among the most important decisions made during this session was defining a permanent source of revenue for the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program.

Students whose family income is less than $50,000 and make a cumulative 2.5 GPA may qualify for free tuition in Oklahoma. The program is part of Oklahoma's Promise.

“Our goal is to encourage more college graduates in the state and more prepared college graduates.”

In March, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education informed higher education institutions that there is a shortfall in funding for the Oklahoma's Promise/OHLAP program for the spring 2007 semester. As a result, any further payments of claims for spring semester scholarship awards were temporarily suspended.

Just a few weeks later, Gov. Henry approved the $5.5 million supplemental appropriation for the Oklahoma's Promise-OHLAP program.

“We received $27 million in new money to help fund the OHLAP program,” Johnson said.

Also included in the budget was an average pay increase of $1,000 for Oklahoma teachers, with more experienced teachers and those with masters and PhD degrees receiving larger increases.

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